PHY101: Introduction to Physics I

Monsoon Semester 2023

Lecture 16

Department of Physics, School of Natural

Sciences,
Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Delhi NCR
Course instructor:
Previous Lecture

Oscillations
Simple harmonic motion

This Lecture

Damped harmonic
motion
 Different types of oscillatory motions (Visual description)
Simple harmonic motion (previous lecture)

Damped harmonic motion (this lecture)

Driven harmonic motion (next lecture)

 Examples of Damped Harmonic Oscillations
a) The mass experiences a frictional force as it moves
through the air.

b) When the mass oscillates horizontally attached to a

string, then there exists frictional forces between
mass and surface.

c) There are resistive force acting on the charge in LC

circuit, due to wires and internal resistance of the
devices.
 Solution of linear differential equation
Linear differential equation of order n=2
d 2 x(t ) dx(t )
homogeneous a2 + a1 + a0 x(t ) = 0
or dt dt
2
inhomogeneous a2 x(t ) + a1 dx(t ) + a0 x(t ) = f (t )
d
dt dt
General solution = Complimentary + Particular solution
For Complementary solution :
1. Take trial solution : x=emt, m is constant
2. m1, m2,……….will be the roots. If all roots are real and distinct, then
solution x=c1em1t+c2em2t+…………….
3. If some roots are repeated, say m1 repeated k times, then solution will be
(c1 + c2t+ …..cktk-1)em1t
4. If some roots are complex, (if a+ib then a-ib are roots) solution will be
eat(c1 cos(bt) +c2 sin(bt)) +………
For Particular solution : Trial solution to be assumed depending
on the form of ƒ(t)
 Damped Free OSCILLATION
Resistive force is proportional to velocity F = -rv
drag
F = mx = - rv - kx
mx + rv + kx = 0
r k
x + x + x=0
m m
r k
x + 2 b x + wo x = 0 Where, b = ; w0 =
2 2

2m m
Or sometimes given in the form...
.. 2x = 0 Where, g =r/m and w =
k
x+ gx + wo
2
0
m 6
 Solution x + 2 b x + wo2 x = 0
• The equation is a second order linear homogeneous equation with
constant coefficients.
• Solution can be found which has the form: x = Cept where C has
the dimensions of x, and p has the dimensions of T-1.
x = pCe pt ; x = p 2Ce pt
mx + rx + kx = 0
  Ce (mp + rp + k ) = 0
pt 2

x = Ce pt = 0 Trivial solution

mp 2 + rp + k = 0
• Solving the quadratic equations gives us the two roots:
r
p1, 2 = -
r æ r ö k
± ç
2
b=
÷ - 2m
2m è 2m ø m
p1, 2 = - b ± b 2 - wo2 k
w0 =
2
• The general solution takes the form: m
x = x1 + x2 = A1e p1t + A2e p2t 7
 r
Case I: Overdamped b=
2m
(Heavy damping) w02 =
k
m
x = A1e p1t + A2e p2t
The square root term is +ve: The damping resistance term dominates the
stiffness term.

• Non-oscillatory behavior can be observed.

• But, the actual displacement will depend upon the boundary
conditions

8
 r
CaseII: Critical damping b=
2m
k
- The damping resistance term and the stiffness terms are balanced. w02 =
m
- When r reaches a critical value, the system will not oscillate and quickly
comes back to equilibrium.

The quadratic equation in p has equal roots, which, in a differential equation

solution demands that C must be written as (A+Bt).

9
A=0 B=2

10
 r
Case III: Underdamped b=
2m
• The square root term is -ve: The stiffness term dominates the damping k
w02 =
resistance term. m
• The system is lightly damped and gives oscillatory damped simple
harmonic motion.

Use 𝑒 !" = cos 𝜃 + 𝑖 sin 𝜃

4m2 11
 No damping Si

Underdamping
Critical damping
Overdamping
Amplitude
 Features of underdamped motion

The underdamped motion has two features:

1) Its frequency is reduced:w‘<w0 – which means that the time period is

increased and

2) Its amplitude decays exponentially (as seen in the next graph).

13
Underdamped oscillations
æ - rt ö - bt
expç ÷=e
è 2m ø

- bt
An +1 = An e
Note that the logarithmic decrement is defined as
the natural logarithm of the ratio of successive
amplitudes: æ ö
An
l = lnçç ÷÷ = bt
è An +1 ø 14
Logarithmic decrement
æ An ö
l = lnçç ÷÷ = bt
è An +1 ø

Q: How is the energy (PE) changing??

15
 Relaxation time
Relaxation time is the time taken for the amplitude to decay to 1/e of its
original value.

Note: 1/e = 0.368

- bt
An +1 = An e
When t = relaxation time At = Ao e -1
2m
t=
r

16
 Problem and solution
A damped harmonic oscillator has a frequency of 10 oscillations
per second. The amplitude drops to half its value for
every 20 oscillations. The time it will take to drop to 1/500 of the
original amplitude, is close to:

The time of half amplitude is 2 sec

For damped oscillations,
A = A0e-kt
So, A0/2 = A0e-2k
k = ln2/2

A0/500 = A0e-kt
Thus replacing the value of ‘k’ we find that,
t = (ln500)/k = (ln500)/(ln2/2)
= (6.21)/(0.69/2) = 18 secs (approx.)